Last week, Tok School put on a culture week. The students made various native arts and crafts with Ms. Cheryl, Ms. Maggie, and Ms. Charlotte. Grades 3-5 made beaded key chains, and grades K-2 made beaded necklaces, bracelets, and key chains. They also learned how to make daisy chains with pony beads. Grades K-5 also learned how to make birch baskets, using cardstock in place of birch bark, and yarn in place of spruce roots. The K-5 students have also been practicing the Upper Tanana Athabascan language “Northway Dialect”.
The middle and high schoolers worked on making canvas drum bags, which can be used for carrying drums, tools, traps, and even your lunch. The middle and high schoolers also worked on making canvas gun cases, beaver hats, and mittens, which were made out of elk hide and beaver pelt. Our guest speaker, Aaron Schutt, the CEO/President at Doyon, received a drum bag, gun case, beaver hat, and mittens as a thank you gift.
The high school students also helped to prepare food for a potlatch. The students made potato salad, fry bread, moose soup, and berries. Many community and family members came and brought food and enjoyed the event as well. The potlatch lasted for around an hour and a half from two o’clock till the end of school.
A big thank you to Kinross Man Choh for helping make this event possible!